Citrus
Nature's timing is generous, citrus comes ripe in the depths of winter, exactly when we need its brightness and vitamin C most.
In season: winter
It’s easy to think of oranges as a summer fruit, but citrus is a winter crop, trees fruiting through the coldest, darkest months. There’s a lovely logic to it: just as fresh green vegetables grow scarce, the season delivers a burst of vitamin C and colour. Blood oranges, satsumas, lemons and grapefruit are all at their best now.
Why it fits the season
Winter cooking leans warm and heavy; citrus brings the brightness and lift that keeps it balanced. Its vitamin C supports the immune system through cold season, while the sourness stimulates digestion and cuts through rich food. In TCM, the sour flavour is associated with gathering and astringing, a fitting note for the year’s most inward season.
Choosing & keeping
- Choose fruit that feels heavy for its size, that’s juice, with taut, fragrant skin.
- Store at room temperature for a week, or in the fridge for longer.
- Don’t waste the zest. The peel holds intensely aromatic oils; zest before you juice and freeze what you don’t use.
Simple ways to enjoy it
- Sliced blood oranges with a little olive oil, salt and mint, a stunning winter salad.
- Warm water with lemon to start the day, an old habit for gently waking digestion.
- Zest into everything, dressings, yoghurt, cakes, roasted veg, for brightness without extra sugar or salt.
Roll a lemon or orange firmly under your palm before juicing, it breaks the internal membranes and you’ll get noticeably more juice.